Howard A. Learner is an experienced attorney serving as the President and Executive Director of the Environmental Law and Policy Center. Mr. Learner is responsible for the overall strategic policy direction, development and leadership of this public interest organization. Before founding ELPC, he was the General Counsel of Business and Professional People for the Public Interest, a public interest law center, specializing in complex civil litigation and policy development. Mr. Learner is an Adjunct Professor at Northwestern University Law School, teaching an advanced environmental law seminar. J.D., Harvard Law School, 1980; B.A., Political Science, University of Michigan, 1976.

Entries by Howard Learner

In the overheated Capitol Hill politics, even energy efficiency is controversial. The bipartisan team of Senators Shaheen and Portman unfortunately face considerable hurdles in their common sense efforts to advance focused energy efficiency legislation.

By contrast, in the Midwest Heartland, there is a quiet revolution as game changing energy efficiency...

President Obama's comprehensive Climate Action Plan is a turning point for the United States and global leadership on climate change solutions. The president is stepping up now with multifaceted executive actions to directly reduce carbon pollution and accelerate renewable energy, energy efficiency and clean vehicle solutions. The president's message advances...

President Barack Obama emphasized advancing climate change and clean energy solutions as a second-term priority. Illinois' energy and transportation sectors are the center of the nation's problems, but can be the largest part of solutions.

By most polling analysts' accounts, if the Presidential election were held today, President Obama would win by a robust electoral vote margin. Of course, the election isn't being held today and much can happen between now and November 6th to change the dynamics of this pivotal election. But . ....

Earth Day 1970 sounded an alarm. It launched the modern environmental movement, bringing cleaner air that's healthier to breathe, cleaner water that's safer to drink and enjoy for recreation, and fewer dangerous toxics in our communities. Today, the growing green economy is helping to drive the Midwest's and our nation's...

The BP and Enbridge oil spill disasters reminded everyone of the dangers from our addiction to oil. Most Americans are looking for cleaner and safer ways to power our cars and heat our homes. The good news is that shifting to cleaner cars and trucks can create new jobs, improve...

Many of us are excited by the new plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) coming into the market later this year. They're cool, high-tech and use less gasoline from countries that don't like us very much and threaten America's national security. They're a big winner for reducing pollution in the targeted markets....

Rural transportation has traditionally meant cars and pickups, highways and Greyhound buses. While the intercity buses are fewer and farther between, however, that doesn't change people's needs to get from place to place. Most people have cars and trucks, but some elderly or disabled people can no longer drive easily....

The confluence of multiple economic and policy factors creates a huge strategic opportunity to advance solar power installations in the Midwest. This window of opportunity will likely be open for about two years while solar photovoltaic (PV) module prices are very low due to excess global supply. Soon after, hoped-for...

The world has changed. Just a few years ago, many people thought that high-speed rail development here was just a dream. Now, it's moving to reality. President Obama has made high-speed rail development his #1 national transportation priority fifty years after President Eisenhower advanced the build-out of the nation's interstate...

It's time to gear up to seize the opportunities to advance a greener economy and cleaner environment with the new Administration and new Congress. The Midwest and Great Plains states can become business and economic winners in growing the new green economy as discussed in previous blog posts. Moreover, when...

Let's face it. America's economy is bad shape. Some will seize upon the troubled times to argue that we should cut back on investing in clean energy and environmental protection. But that's the wrong direction both for today and for the future.

The naysayers keep arguing that reducing global warming pollution is too expensive, too hard, will cost too much money and will irreparably harm our economy. We've heard this refrain before. Seat belts supposedly would dramatically increase the costs of cars, make no safety difference and wouldn't be used by drivers...